Antitilting lock mechanism for pin ball games



July 2, 1935.

B. E. MILLS NTITILTING LOCK MECHANISM FOR PIN BALL GAMES Filed Dec. 3,1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 2, 1935. B. E. MILLS ANTITILTING LOCKMECHANISM FOR PIN BALL GAMES Filed Dec. 3, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 2,1935. B. E. MILLS ANTITILTING LOCK MECHANISM FOR PIN BALL GAMES FiledDec. 5, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 ANTITILTING LOCK MECHANISM FOR PIN BALLGAMES Filed Dec. 3, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ,f///////Mf/,//f////f//f//////// L L I Patented July 2, 1935 "an'nrrmmo 'LooxMCHANi'sM'FoR PiN Novelty Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation ofIllinois Application December 3, 1934, Serial No. 755,718

'This invention rrelates'topin ball games of the type wherein playerpieces, in the form oi'balls, are prjectedove'r a playing boardhavingopen-Y ings formed therein for receiving the balls, and moreparticularly 'to an improved locking device for` preventing further playof the game in the eventl the'operatorv attempts to tilt the playingboard to obtainV an improper or unearned score;

One of the" important objects of the invention is toprovide in a pinball game of the type specifled aball lifting device for raising .theballs individually from a point ofi Vassembly beneath theV board intoposition for projection over the surface thereof, and'in combinationtherewith, means operated by tilting of the playing board for' lockingsaid ball lifting means, whereby to prevent fnrther'play of the game. v

'A further object of the'in'vention is to provide in. combination withthe afmesaid anti-tilting lock mechanism, a coin-.controlled mechanismfor restoring the lock mechanismto inoperative position, whereby topermit further play of the game after a coin actuationof 'the'coin-controlled mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent `from thefollowing detailed descrlption, takenn connection with theaccompanylngdrawings, wherein I have shown the preferred form in which Ihave' thus'far contemplated applying the principles of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan viewV of a pin ball game ap- Y paratus having the novelanti-tilting lock mechamsm embodied. therein, a portionot the playingboard being Vbroken 'away to show the underlying Structure; l,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale taken, online 2 2 of Fig; 1,

v the view showing the lockV mechanism in the locked position: y

Fig. 3 is a view similar toFlg. 2 with the 1ock-' position shown in Fig.2, prevents the balls from im' mechanism inthe unlocked position: and lFig. '4 1s a. broken transverse vertical section 'through'theapparatustaken v'on line 4-4 `of Fis. 2. f

vThe general' construction 'of pin bali game apparatus isv wellunderstood in the art and will, theretore, only be described in,sufficient detail to give s; clear understanding of themanner'in whichthe improved anti-'tilting' lockI mechanism is used inV apparatus ofcharacter. Referring particularly to Fig; vI, the table or frame',within which'the playing mechanism is support- 'edconsists' oftransverse tramemembers' and 6 which are tied Atogether by side framemembers 'I and 8. A rectangular base board 8 is secured to the loweredges of 'frame members 5, 6, 'l and 8 by strips II (Fig. 2), said"strips connecting these parts to form a ridge frame unit. The top ofthe table is closed by a glass panel I2, below which is' positioned aplaying board I3 having openings I4 formed therein for receiving theballs; Panel I2 and board I3 are arranged to slide as a unitlongitudinally valong frame members I and 8 whereby to Vgive access tothe operative mechanism positioned therebelow.

In`the formV 'of game shown in the drawings the Vparts are arranged tosimulate the playing of a baseball' game, the balls being directed by amanually operable Vspring' held plunger I5, having" anexposed lingerpiece I6 projecting through front frame piece 5,. along a .guide channelI0. From that point'the balls may take any one of a number of pathsdepending upon the force wlthiwhichl they are" projected, and ultimatelyfall through'the openings I4, from whencetheyV are directed either alongchutes II to a receptacle I8, 'or are directed along a. chute I9 to asmaller receptacle 2l, the' latter being separated from receptacle I8Vby a partition wall 22. In this particular game the balls which 'aredirected along chutes I1, into receptacle I8, are intended to indicate'base hits, and th'o'se Which are directed along chute I9, intoreceptacle 2l, are intended to indicate outs A gate plate 23, supportedon a rod 24 extending transversely of the machine below chutes I1 andI8, normally closes' an opening 25 formed in the lower front portion ofthe bottom wall of receptacles IB and 2|. Opening of this gate, in amanner presently to be explained, allows the balls which haveaccumulated in receptacles I8 and 2| to roll therefrom into a downwardlyinclined U-shaped channel 26, the end of which is closed by a gateleverv 2T, the latter being pivoted to the frame at 28 and having an arm29 which, in the closed rolling through the open end of saidchannel 26.Referring particularly rto Fig. 2, means is pro-v vided for lifting theballs individually, and in succession, from supporting channel 26 intoposition for' actuation yby projecting plunger I5.

InA theembo'diment shown this lifting mechanismY f frame member 1.

Assuming the ball lifting mechanism is in the lowered position shown inFig. 3, the operator, after having preliminary actuated thecoin-controlled mechanism in a manner presently to be explained, pushesinwardly on rod 33, whereupon ,Y

the latter moves against a stud 38, carriedk on arm 3| thereby pivotingsaid arm Vin a. clock-A wise direction viewing Fig. 3, at the same timecarrying the lowermost of theY balls contained in channel 26 upwardlyalong channel 31 until the" parts assume the position shown in Fig. 2.This `operation places the yball in chute I0 immediately in front ofplunger |5, from which position it maybe driven by the latter over the.playing board. During this lifting operation gate lever 21 isV swungfrom the open position shown in Fig.v 3 to the closed 'position' shownin' Fig. 2, this movement being effected by a stud 39 projecting fromarm 3|, said stud engaging in a U-shaped notch 4| formed in" lever 21.'Move' ment of the lever'21 tothe closed position, upon the raising oflifting arm 3|', prevents thesucceeding balls from rolling from assemblychute` 26 until said lifting arm' has been returnedto the loweredposition. 'In this returnmovement of arm 3|, stud 39 engages in notch4|, thereby -moving lever 21 from the position shown in Fig. 2 tothe'po'sition shown in Fig. 3,'in which position the lowermost of 'theballs in channel 26 is free to roll onto lifting plate'36.

In accordance with my inventioma novel form" of locking mechanism isprovided which is adapted, upon the tilting of the playing board, tov

lock'ball lifting arm 3|, thereby preventing'furtherV play of the game.It frequently happens that the operator after 'projecting a' ball ontothe' board,V will attemptto direct therball into a particular one'ofthe'opening's `I4 by lifting the front end of the tableand tilting thesame in sucha way as to cause the ball to roll into'the desired opening.The mechanism which'I provide for preventing further Vplay of the game"after such an unwarranted tilting of the table consistszof a latchvdevice whichk operates to hold the ball lifting arm 3| in the raisedposition,v

thus making 'it impossible to raise theballs into position forprojection over the playingboard.

This latch mechanism, which is best shown in Figs. 3 andy 4, comprises:a lever 42, pivotally supported at 43Von a frame bracket 44; a pawl 45,pivotally supported at 46 'on frame member.

1 an arm 41, pivotally connctedat 48l to lever 42, the oppositeendthereof 'being adapted to engage a laterally projecting'flange 49carried' kby pawl 45; a lever 5|, fulcrumed at 52 toal frame bracket 53,one arm` 54 of' said lever being positionedimmediat'ely below lever' 42,and

the other arm 55 thereof Ycarrying a plate 56 to: which'is secured a'semi-circular-,rim or strip 51; a second plate 58, securedV to framemember 5, and having a semi-circularr strip 59 secured thereto andopposing the semi-circular strip51 carried by plate55; andfav'ball tlnormally f retained in the semi-circular `cup formed vby plate 58 andYstrip V59. l 1

In Fig. 3 the anti-tilting lock mechanism is in the unlocked position,lever 5| beingl held in this position by av coil Yspring 62.which isconnected at one end to', a`lug63, carried by` said" 2,006,646 l 'mi nals.:

lever, and at the other end to a fixe point on the frame. In thisposition of lever 5|, the tip portion 64 of pawl 45 is rclear of channel31 and affords no obstruction to the raising and lowering of balllifting arm,3|. soon as the operator tilts the playing board I3by'raising the forward end of the table, ball 6| rolls from plate`58-ontoplatg:`v 56,v and the vweight thereof immediately Cali'es lever'V51y t0 pivot in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 3to the position shown in Fig. 2. Arm 54 is ,thus raised and in turnpivoting pawl 45 to the latched position shown in Fig. l,2, in whichposition it will be noted that the point 64 thereof extends over or lapsthe edge of channel 1 31. If at this time lifting `arm 3| happens to `beheld in the raised position,

against the tension Vo'f`a coil spring 66, it will be obstructed ,at thebeginning of its downward However, as

stroke, and will beheld in the vlocked position shown Vin Fig.: 2.`v IL'at theV time' pftlltipg, 'lift-v ing; arm 3| "happens to' be' in'thefloweredpo'si tion shown in 3;f`it'ma raised 'tolift one more, ball toproiectmgpositinf'on 'this .upward stroke uiting-pnt@l sav brushes pastthe,

tip portion` |i4yof` paw1f45 'andjon" the' return stroke kis caught bythe latten; being retained in. the clocked position Ishown 'in Figi'Z'."limited movement of pawl45 .and arm"'41isfper mitted by reason of the'piv'oted connection pro-"f vided between 'arm' 41j and lever 42, theAlatter being providedjwith stops 66 (andv 61 whichlirnit" the movementvof saldi arm" 41. l'ifcoiil'V spring 6 8, extendingA between lever 42and arm 41, urgesj the latter VupwardlyV against stop |1."` A` leafspring 69, 'secureditofthe under faceff plate' 56, engages a bratnetarm`1|"'project1ng `-:l`?'wn"V wardly from plate A58 and v servefs'tocushion lthe, turning oflever 5| under the weight of 'ba1l'6|.`Coin-controlled mechanism is providedjfor ref" storing the` anti-tiltinglock vmet:hanisx'n to inopf erative position,whereby,topermitresumptionfof play until said "mechanism is' againthrown lto locking position. `Referring tongs.; lfandlji," it will benotedthat rod '24,"whic'h'carries' gate plate 23, is' provided With'jalaterally-bent Vor QH; setp'ortion- 12 which engages 'theiower .end'ior'anY arm 13 Ywhichprojects downwardly' fromgra'n'd forms an integralpart of,'lever 4 2.fj ',This`. offset? portion 12' terminates in aportion" whichA forms, in effect, a ycontix 1 ua .tion,of `rod,24sfa'idportion 1.4 vbeing ,positioned in'ime,diatelyvr above lever 5|.,'Ihetherjendj'ofrod 24 provided with a down-turned' portion which isc0111-- nected througha clamp. 16to' la 11,`.the,o'1;\ ,Y posite end ofsaid 1ink11 being'plvtallygonnected 8.15.18 to the .piston 'I9 Qfanaircyl's' inder 8|. A'c'oin slide 82,. ysupported linlfront wall section'V5,' is arranged, when pushed inwardly to, the limitV of its stroke, to'engage 'a bar f83 which has pivotal and slidingz connection at '84 withn a f supporting, bracket 85, thefjothe'r endfofsaid bar. 83 beingpivotallyfconnectfed at '8 6 'tolink" 11. Cfmtinuin'gV thefreference to'Figs.- "1 and 21,v and assuming paw1""45is`in`thelocked position; .shownin` Fig..4,.aftera proper coin hasbeen" placed in 'a slotj81'fin slide'82,'v the hitter,may"bev 24 lowers, gatev plate, 23,. .allowing the.balls which have accumulated in receptacles |,8 vand 2|. to rolldownwardly into' chute 25. This movement ofrod 24.v also causes the endportion 14 'thereof to move downwardly onto the arm portion; 54 of leveri, causing the latter to Ypivotin a counterclockwise direction, viewing,Figi 3, to bring plate 56 back to the level of plate 58which movementreturns ball 6| 'fromthe position shown inFig. 2 to the position shownin Fig.. 3;y The arm -54 of lever 5 l., having thus been removed fromlever 42, the latter is freeto pivotL in acounter-clockwise direction,viewing Fig.'4, to restore .pawl 45 to the ,unlocked position shown inFig. 3. Arm v4`| normally overbalances lever 42 so that this turning of.the, latterr occurs automatically as soon asarm 54 has been removed fromits supporting position below said lever 42. As the operator releasescoin slide S2, the latter is returned to normal positionby spring 88,and air cylinder 8| slowly moves the parts. back to normal position,this movement in the case of rod 24 consisting of a turning thereof in acounter-clockwise direction, viewing Fig. l, to raise the arm portion 14thereof away from tilting lever 5|.

I have also shown in the accompanying drawings a ball-operated lockmechanism for throwing locking pawl 45 into locked positionindependently of the operation of tilting lever 5I. This lockingmechanism forms the subject matter of my co-pending application, SerialNo. 755,717, led of even date herewith, and will therefore be describedonly in a very general way. It consists of an arm 89, which forms anintegral part of lever 42, and which extends through a slot 9| formed inthe side wall of receptacle 2|, the end of said arm carrying a lip 92which is positioned to be engaged by a ball rolling from chute I9 intoreceptacle 2|. The third out ball which enters receptacle 2| Arestspermanently on lip 92 thereby throwing lever 42, arm 41, and pawl 45 tothe latched position shown in Fig. 2. The removal of the ball from lip92 by the opening of gate plate 23 and the raising of arm portion |2 ofrod 24 from arm 13, allows lever 42 and arm 41 to return to 'theunlocked position. Since this locking action occurs with the balllifting arm 3| in the lowered position, one more ball may be raised tothe playing board after the arm 3| has been thus locked. To prevent thisextra ball from rolling to scoring position there is provided a lever93, pivoted at 43 to bracket 44, and provided with an arm 94 projectingthrough slot 9| into receptacle 2|, the end of said arm 94 beingprovided with a lip 95 which lies immediately adjacent the lip 92 oflever 89. A wire 96, carried by the other arm of lever 93, extendsdownwardly into the entrance channel of receptacle 2|. Rolling of thethird out ball into receptacle 2|, as just explained, locks the balllifting mechanism. This third ball also engages lip 95 to pivot lever 93in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 4, thereby lowering wire 96 tobring the free end thereof into position for preventing the lastprojected ball from rolling into the portion of receptacle |8 whichrepresents the scoring position. After the balls have been allowed toroll from receptacle 2|, lever 93 is returned to non-obstructingposition by a coil spring 91 Which extends between said lever and afixed point on the frame. As previously stated, the operation of theball lifting locking mechanism through arm 89 is entirely independent oftheV locking thereof through anti-tilting lever 5|. Although but asingle latch element is providedfor.lockinglever 3| from. either source,eachA locking operation isindependent of the other. o. The foregoingdetailed' description has i been given for clearness of understanding.only, and

no unnecessary limitations should-be understood therefrom, but theappended claims should loe-.construed as broadly as permissible, in viewof the prior art.

What I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis: 'i Y l.In a pin ball game, the vcombinationzwith av playing board, and meansfor liftingthel balls individuallyv froma point of assembly-.beneath theboard into position for projection overthe surface thereof, of meansoperated by tilting of the playing board for locking said ball liftingmeans to prevent further operation thereof, and. coin-controlledmechanism Yfor restoringfsaid lockingmeans. toinoperative position,whereby to permit resumption of play after a coin actuation of saidcoin-controlled mechanism.

2. In a pin ball game, the combination of a playing board, a verticallyoscillating ball lifting device for elevating the balls individuallyfrom a point of assembly beneath the board into position for projectionover the surface thereof, a locking element arranged for movement intoposition obstructing operation of said lifting device, means operated bytilting Ofr the playing board for moving said element to lockingposition, and coin-controlled mechanismffor restoring said lockingelement to inoperative position, whereby to permit resumption of playafter a coin actuation of said coin-controlled mechanism.

3. In a pin ball game, the combination of a playing board, a verticallyoscillating ball lifting `for moving said arm to latched position, and

coin-controlled mechanism for restoring said latch arm t0 inoperativeposition, whereby to permit resumption of play after a coin actuation tof said coin-controlled mechanism.

4. In a pin ball game, the combination `with a playing board, and meansfor lifting the balls individually from a point of assembly beneath theboard into position for projection over the surface thereof, of meansoperated by tilting of the playing board for locking said ball liftingmeans to prevent further operation thereof, and coin-controlledmechanism for restoring said locking means to inoperative position,whereby to .permit resumption of play after a coin actuation of saidcoin-controlled mechanism, said locking means including a latch,element, a. lever operatively connected therewith, a movablecounterweight and a support therefor positioned adjacent said lever,said counterweight being adapted upon tilting of the playing board, tomove from said support onto said lever, thereby overbalancing the latterand moving said element to latched position.

5. In a pin ball game, the combination of a playing board, a verticallyoscillating ball lifting device for lifting the balls individually froma point of assembly beneath the board into position for projection overthe surface thereof, a locking element arranged for movement intoposition obstructing operation of said lifting de- Y vice,fa leveroperativelyvconnected with said locking-element, means-operated bytilting of the playing board forrfoverbalancingV saidv lever, whereby.to move 'said element to locked position, andcoin-controlled mechanismfor returning said lever and locking element to inoperative position,whereby to permit resumption of play after a coin actuation of saidcoin-con- Y trolled mechanism.

6.. In a pin ball game, the combination "of a playing board, means for'supporting a supply of .the balls beneath the board, a verticallyoscillating ball lifting device for lifting the balls individually fromsaid support` tothe playing board, a, latch element arranged formovement into position obstructing operation of said lifting device, alever operatively connected with said latch element, aimova'blecounterweight and al support therefor Apositioned adjacent said lever,saidjcounterweight being adapted, upon tilting oi the playing board, It0move froms'aid support onto said lever, thereby overbalancing` thelatter andmoving said element to latched position., and coin-controlled.mechanism-fior returning said v'counterweight and latch element toinoperativefposition, whereby to. permit 're-1.

sumption oi play after a coin actuation of said coin-controlledmechanism. '7. In a pin ball game, the combination with a, playing boardand means for moving the ballsV BERT EQ MILLS. 2ok

